Religious Studies resources for teachers

The argument clinic: a 25-minute activity

Use this activity after teaching a topic or as a revision intervention. Students turn one accurately explained idea into a paragraph that answers a particular question. Adapt the pace and support to your class.

1. Retrieve, 3 minutes. Explain a relevant view from memory. Check one technical term against the topic guide.
2. Argue, 5 minutes. State the strongest reason for accepting the view, explain its reasoning and connect it to the question.
3. Challenge, 5 minutes. A partner identifies an assumption and develops the strongest objection and reply.
4. Judge, 5 minutes. Apply a shared criterion, such as coherence or explanatory power, to decide which argument is stronger.
5. Write, 5 minutes. Produce one developed paragraph with accurate explanation and a reasoned judgement.
6. Exit, 2 minutes. Underline the clearest evaluative sentence and set one next step.

Download the activity and feedback sheet (.txt)

Three original discussion prompts

• Philosophy: Is the possibility of soul-making a sufficient reason for God to allow suffering? Pair with the Augustine and Hick comparison.
• Ethics: Does agreement about basic human goods establish the authority of Natural Law? Pair with the Natural Law evaluation guide.
• Christian thought: Can a damaged human will be responsible for its own choices? Pair with the Augustine on human nature guide.

These are teaching prompts, not examination predictions. Choose wording and support that suit the material your students have studied.

Make peer feedback specific

Ask students to identify one accurately explained idea, one assumption that needs defending, one judgement supported by a reason, and one next step. This directs attention to the reasoning rather than an unsupported grade prediction.

There is no fixed OCR requirement for a particular paragraph formula or number of named scholars. Use OCR's official essay guidance and your centre's assessment process when marking.

Share the free resources with your class

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